Baldness is a problem which affects millions of people in the United States. A wide variety of solutions such as hair transplants, hair implants and drug therapy are widely used to correct or mitigate the effects of baldness. Surgical techniques such as hair transplants and hair implants are costly, painful and produce an unnatural appearance. Drug therapy, such as Rogain.RTM. (registered trademark of Johnson & Johnson) is also costly and produces undesirable side effects such as unwanted growth on parts of the body other than the head.
A known alternative method of stimulating hair growth involves massaging or in other ways stimulating the human scalp. It is generally well recognized that massage or stimulation increases blood flow to the scalp which, in turn, stimulates hair growth and reduces flaking and peeling of the scalp.
In the prior art, many inventors have recognized the benefits derived from stimulating or massaging the human scalp. Prior art massage devices are taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,763,853, 4,469,092, 4,765,316, 5,421,799, and 5,486,156. The devices disclosed in each of the aforementioned patents have complex and costly designs. Such designs are prone to mechanical failure and are not affordable to the average consumer. Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a hair-growth stimulating device which is very inexpensive and which has a simple, reliable design.
The devices disclosed in the prior art are also bulky, require the user to remain stationary while wearing the device, and severely restrict the user's activities. Such bulky and restrictive designs deter regular use of the device which is necessary to achieve the benefits derived from stimulation of the scalp. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a lightweight and portable hair-growth stimulating device which is comfortably worn by the user in his day-to-day activities.
While some of the head massaging devices disclosed in prior art may be portable, such devices are very conspicuous and cause embarrassment to the user. Therefore, it is also desirable to provide a portable hair-growth stimulating device which is concealed from public view and inconspicuous when worn by the user.